Opinion | A Crypto Optimist Meets a Crypto Skeptic (Published 2021)

-Indra Nooyi - My life in Full.

-The Company, about the creation of the LLC, which at the time was about a controversial idea.

Ezra: Even if crypto works, it will have downsides, just like Web2 does. If what this does is allow creators to capture their full value and break down institutions, do you worry about the people left behind?

Katie: It's a great question. We're seeing that the middle class suffers in traditional institutional settings. Crypto democratizes participation. Investigative reporting is an area where crypto can help - we've seen crypto crowdfunds take off.

Ezra: I worry about a world where the stars can leave institutions and make their full market value. There is a lot about institutions that is valuable - fund investigative reporting, etc... I wonder about how this works in a decentralized vision as it empowers the individual and creates more winner takes all dynamics. Are we losing some of the str... See more

Ezra: Even if that's true, if Bitcoin were made by someone who had control over it, if the ownership structure were different, they would try to change that sooner.

Katie: Sometimes the middleman can be important. Let's address the environmental disaster: there re blockchains that are carbon negative. Many have adapted proof of stake. The problem of electricity usage is in proof of work consensus mechanisms. Right now 76% of Bitcoin miners are incorporating renewables into their mix. I have confidence in the B... See more

Ezra: Bitcoin is an energy disaster. If Bitcoin were a startup and you go to their board meeting, they would probably say we have to work on this energy problem. But given it's decentralized nature, nobody is giong to change it. It makes me wonder if there are downsides to smart contracts being hard to alter.

Katie: Excited about people building on decentralized virtual land. There are virtual real estate agents doing this as a full time job. If you think about the metaverse, it is a generational moment. There's a generation more comfortable spending time and money in the digital world than in the physical world. Roblox has bags that will sell for more ... See more